SpaceX cargo craft en route to flyby of space station

Source: Spaceflight now

After a succession of rocket burns to fine-tune its pursuit of the International Space Station, the commercial Dragon spacecraft is due for a flyby of the complex Thursday, a crucial prerequisite for the ship's planned arrival at the outpost Friday.

Since it launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at 3:44 a.m. EDT (0744 GMT) on Tuesday, Dragon has accomplished GPS navigation tests, abort demonstrations, and a test to see if the craft could turn off its control thrusters and enter free drift mode, the condition necessary for the space station's robot arm to reach out and grapple the spacecraft.

Dragon also opened the door to the ship's navigation bay, which contains laser rendezvous and thermal imaging sensors, as well as the spacecraft's grapple fixture.

SpaceX is testing the Dragon spacecraft to prove its readiness to carry supplies to and from the space station under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA.